A place for jobs and surviving without one!

1. Write out a CV and, in the "Personal Profile" section, where it says the usual drivel like "I am a hard working team player" nonsense, write the opening lyrics of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in The UK."

I come from Russia, outside EU and Commonwealth. Have completed my 2nd degree here and been living in Scotland and working here over the last 3 years. Last summer finally got what I though was a long term job that is good for my career.

According to the UK Immigration Law my leave to remain (spouse/fiancée visa) expires this December and then I am to get my Indefinite Leave to remain (ILR). Can not get it any earlier, that’s the Immigration rules.

Basically people like me have only very few options:

-HSMP (don’t qualify by 5 (!) points on the basis of the points NOT earned because once you transfer Rubbles into Pounds that accounts for nothing – even though it was good packages on Russian terms)

-Stay here for 5 years and then go for ILR

-Or, in my case, go for Fresh Talent visa (2 years) after the student visa expires, then, once my partner and I got engaged get 2 years leave to remain, and now just wait for that to finish and go for ILR at the end of this year. That’s how it is and there are no alternatives of speeding it up.

The company I work for is going to cut 20 people and because of the specifics of the Scottish job market I am, as one of the people who hasn’t been there over a year yet, and for various other reasons (including reasonable saving the places for loyal people who have done the same job for the last hundred years) I will most probably be ‘nominated’ to be cut off.

Majority of employees at the moment request that the visa is valid at least 12 months. So, as one can imagine, there’s a slim chance of getting anything (even though they like the skills and experience etc they don’t like visas, specifically ones that expire in less then a year, and they disregard the fact that it will be extended into ILR)

Going back home would put a strain on my private life as well, as I am engaged… Benefits are out of the question, I couldn’t even get a little job seekers income based allowance, as apparently over £7k already paid in taxes is not enough for UK Government to give me under £100 a week. Plus I don’t really like begging. Any advice?

My friend was offered a job (he starts Monday) it's door to door canvassing and he can earn upto £300 a week, sounds simple much? BUT, they're paying for him to have a flat over there (apparently they own some) and they've asked if he's got any friends that want to work over there. Naturally he put my name down. To be honest though it all seems to good to be true. We're from Middlesbrough so what I want to know is, is there a company you've heard of that does that? (he forgot the name)

# Learn to shop wisely, getting your shopping from 3-4 shops can take longer but easily save you £10+ a week, like Heron and places for frozen stuff.Take advantage of budget ranges, such as Tesco's Value range. Beans for 10P and bread for 22P - its cheap as fuck.

# Do your food shopping quite near the closing time of the shop, a lot of things get reduced and you can profit on this!

# Instead of going out on nights out why don't you have a party round yours instead, buy your alcohol from tesco's (or any other super market) and make sure people bring there own ;)